D. S. Shostakovich, To the Editor of Izvestiia. April 1, 1948
Co-authors S. Prokofiev, A. Khachaturian, N. Miaskovskii
Original Source: Izvestiia, 1 April 1948.
American newspapers have reported the release of the film The Iron Curtain. We know that this film pursues the aim of slandering our homeland, of fanning enmity and hatred for the Soviet people, in order to please the enemies of world peace and security.
With deep indignation we have learned from a report of the New York Times that excerpts from our musical works are being used in this film.
Needless to say, none of us ever gave, or could have given, his consent for the use of our music in any form whatsoever in the picture The Iron Curtain.
Knowing beforehand that Soviet composers would indignantly reject any such offer, the agents of the American Twentieth Century-Fox Corporation resorted to a swindling trick in order to steal our music for their outrageous picture. American reactionaries decided to supplement, by the theft of our works, the anti-Soviet forgeries on which their film is based.
The fact that these gentlemen enjoy full opportunity for political blackmail, that they ignore elementary rights of composers in making unwarranted use of their creative work, proves once more that manners and morals exist in the United States tinder which the rights of the individual, freedom of art, and democratic principles, to which allegiance is solemnly vowed, are in reality most unceremoniously trampled underfoot.
While expressing categorical protest against such methods, against this cynical infringement on the freedom of art, we resolutely insist that our music be removed from the film The Iron Curtain.
Source: Nicolas Slonimsky, ed., Music since 1900 (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1971), p. 1376.